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APPL8020 – Research Methods in Language Study

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Margaret Wood
Peter Roger
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MAccComm or MAppLing or MAppLingTESOL or MTransInter or MConfInt or MAdvTransInterStud or MTransInterMAppLingTESOL
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
APPL7020
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on general principles of research and the use of research methods in language studies. It covers the whole process of research from choosing a topic, searching the related literature on the topic, and formulating research questions, to collecting and analysing data and writing up research reports. The exploration of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research methodologies develops students' research literacy to understand research reports and to design research projects. Research ethics and conducting and writing up a small-scale research project are two other components of this unit.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
  • ULO2: Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
  • ULO3: Explain the basic underlying principles of three research approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods)
  • ULO4: Conceive and formulate research questions/hypotheses relating to language study and language learning
  • ULO5: Creatively design, implement, and report a small-scale study to answer your research questions

General Assessment Information

Late submission

  • If assignments are submitted after the due date without an approved extension, they are deemed late. Late submissions will receive a 5% per day penalty and will not be marked if more than 2 weeks late.
  • All assignments submitted after the deadline, regardless of the reason, will be marked and returned at a date determined by the unit convenor.
  • Extensions cannot continue beyond the start of the following semester, and students should be aware that long extensions may impact graduation dates.
  • Extensions will only be given in special circumstances and can be requested by completing the Special Consideration request at ask.mq.edu.au and providing the required supporting documentation.

For more information on Special Consideration, see the university website https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration

Please refer to the Unit Guide in iLearn to get more detailed information about the assessment tasks. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Active Participation 25% No All through the semester
Group Oral Presentation 10% No Weeks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Assessment Task 1: Annotated Bibliography 20% No Sunday, August 30
Review Paper 20% No Sunday, September 27
Research Report 25% No Sunday, November 8

Active Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: All through the semester
Weighting: 25%

 

Students are required to actively participate online discussions as well as complete learning activities in the interactive text.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
  • Explain the basic underlying principles of three research approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods)
  • Creatively design, implement, and report a small-scale study to answer your research questions

Group Oral Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Weeks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Weighting: 10%

 

Students will work together as a group and will prepare a group oral presentation on their chosen topic.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
  • Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
  • Explain the basic underlying principles of three research approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods)

Assessment Task 1: Annotated Bibliography

Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Sunday, August 30
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will choose a topic and search databases to select relevant published articles to write an annotated bibliography (2200 words)

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
  • Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
  • Explain the basic underlying principles of three research approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods)

Review Paper

Assessment Type 1: Literature review
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Sunday, September 27
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will transform their first assignment (annotated bibliography) into a coherent review paper (2000 words)

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
  • Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
  • Explain the basic underlying principles of three research approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods)
  • Conceive and formulate research questions/hypotheses relating to language study and language learning

Research Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Sunday, November 8
Weighting: 25%

 

Students will conduct and report a small-scale study related to their chosen topic (2200 words)

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
  • Explain the basic underlying principles of three research approaches (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods)
  • Conceive and formulate research questions/hypotheses relating to language study and language learning
  • Creatively design, implement, and report a small-scale study to answer your research questions

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

The learning and teaching strategies used in this Unit include individual study, online lectures and discussion, and group oral presentations. Online weekly lectures include a two-hour lecture and a one-hour tutorial for each group.

The unit convenor will be monitoring the online discussion. If you have any general questions, concerns, and comments these may be posted on the Forum in iLearn. However, should you have any personal issues (e.g. requests for extensions etc.) then these should be addressed directly to the unit convenor through communicate with your teacher in iLearn or at mehdi.riazi@mq.edu.au

Required Textbook:

The following text is the “required” text for this unit.

Riazi, M. (2018). Research methods in language studies: An interactive text. Top Hat.

The following books are “optional” and good to consult.

Riazi. A.M. (2016). The Routledge Encyclopedia of Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. London: Routledge.

Paltridge, B., & Phakiti, A. (eds.)(2015). Research methods in applied linguistics. NY: Bloomsbury Publications.

Riazi, A.M. (2017). Mixed methods research in language teaching and learning. London: Equinox.

Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

Presenter

Required reading(s)

Tasks & Assignments

1

 

Introduction to Research Methods:

Overview of the unit and assignments

 

Primary vs. Secondary research

Mehdi Riazi

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 1

 

Read about the first assignment (Annotated Bibliography) in Chapter 1

 

Identify your area of interest (topic)

2

 

 

Conducting Secondary Research:

 

Knowing about and searching databases

 

Mehdi Riazi

 

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 2

Read Chapter 2 carefully and complete the learning activities

 

Prepare a list of articles for your AB (First Assignment)

3

 

Presenting research topics

 

Writing up research

Group Oral Presentation

(GOP)

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 3

Presentation of research topics

 

Read Chapter 3 carefully and prepare Assignment 1

 

4

 

Conducting Primary Research:

Overview of three research paradigms: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research

 

Mehdi Riazi

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 4

 

Cumming (1994)

 

Assignment 1 is due on Sunday, August 30 at 23:55 Sydney time

 

Read Chapter 4 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 4

5

 

Conducting Quantitative Research:

Surveys and correlational studies

Group Oral Presentation

(GOP)

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 5

 

Surveys (Wagner, 2013)-Accessible from MQ Online Library

Read Chapter 5 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 5

 

6

 

Conducting Quantitative Research:

Experimental designs

Group Oral Presentation

(GOP)

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 6

 

Read Chapter 6 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 6

 

7

 

Collecting and Analysing Quantitative Data

Mehdi Riazi

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 7

 

Brown, J.D. (1991)

 

Read Chapter 7 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 7

 

Recess (Sept. 14-27)

Assignment 2 is due on Sunday September 27 at 23:55 Sydney Time

Week

Topic

Presenter

Required reading(s)

Tasks & Assignments

8

 

Conducting Qualitative Research:

Case study and ethnography

Group Oral Presentation

(GOP)

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 8

 

Case study (Duff, 2013)- Accessible from MQ Online Library

 

Richards (2009)

Read Chapter 8 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 8

9

 

Conducting Qualitative Research:

Discourse analysis and narrative inquiry

Group Oral Presentation

(GOP)

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 9

 

Pomerantz (2013)- Accessible from MQ Online Library

Read Chapter 9 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 9

10

Preparing for Assignment 3: Elaboration & data collection

Mehdi Riazi

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 4

Decide on the method and start data collection

11

 

Analysing Qualitative Data

Mehdi Riazi

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 10

 

Maguire & Delahunt (2017)

Read Chapter 10 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 10

12

 

Mixed-methods research

Mehdi Riazi

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 11

 

Riazi (2017)

 

Read Chapter 11 carefully and complete “Learning Activity” of Chapter 11

13

 

 

Ethical issues in research*

Peter Roger

Riazi (2018)

Chapter 13

 

Thomas (2009)

Rieschild (2003)

 

Assignment 3 due on Sunday, November 8 at 23:55 Sydney Time

 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.